The Apollo Club
History:
Man is a hunter. His survival depends upon it. Man has never really outgrown his primitive origins and some men feel that they are only truly alive when they are on the hunt.
But there are times when this simple survival instinct goes wrong. as so many things do. The Apollo Club was a group of game hunters who felt that they had gone beyond the simple pleasure of game hunting. They felt that they had done everything in terms of hunting animals. Now they sought the possibility of more interesting game.
Other men.
Man is a hunter. His survival depends upon it. Man has never really outgrown his primitive origins and some men feel that they are only truly alive when they are on the hunt.
But there are times when this simple survival instinct goes wrong. as so many things do. The Apollo Club was a group of game hunters who felt that they had gone beyond the simple pleasure of game hunting. They felt that they had done everything in terms of hunting animals. Now they sought the possibility of more interesting game.
Other men.
Started some years ago by an Australian, named Elias Gatton, This group quietly engages in their depraved pursuits without a real thought towards a larger goal. Or so Gatton would have the membership believe. Gatton is actually a member of the Hellfire Club's inner circle and uses the Apollo Club as a means of gathering blackmail material and disposing of awkward people who have caused the Hellfire Club some trouble.
Agenda:
The Apollo Club is all about the thrill of hunting and killing the most dangerous sort of game. To this end, they look for opportunities to expand their holdings in order to have interesting places to hunt. The club offers the opportunity to hunt other humans to other rich jaded maniacs as a means of luring them into their clutches.
The Apollo Club is all about the thrill of hunting and killing the most dangerous sort of game. To this end, they look for opportunities to expand their holdings in order to have interesting places to hunt. The club offers the opportunity to hunt other humans to other rich jaded maniacs as a means of luring them into their clutches.
Resources:
The holdings, called "The Preserves" usually have some clubhouse, a stable and/or bestiary, a holding facility for "Game" and a large open area with natural or man-made boundaries. Dues for the Apollo Club can be fairly stiff. but since many of the members have Wealth beyond Avarice it's not really a huge problem.
The holdings, called "The Preserves" usually have some clubhouse, a stable and/or bestiary, a holding facility for "Game" and a large open area with natural or man-made boundaries. Dues for the Apollo Club can be fairly stiff. but since many of the members have Wealth beyond Avarice it's not really a huge problem.
Membership: There really isn't a sort of Inner Circle of the Apollo Club. Elias Gatton is the uncontested master of the club and there are few who even try to kid themselves that they can take him. Elias has a small group of fellow hunters that he trusts for various things that need doing. Competition for being a member of this exclusive group is as cutthroat as any high school clique with Gatton as the ultimate arbiter of favor. The only exception to this rule is an Italian mercenary by the name of Alonzo Cerrenzi. Cerrenzi has been with Gatton for many years and is the only one who is able to talk plainly to him. Cerrenzi is a hardened battle veteran with a lot of experience.(whether he is inspired or not is up to you.)
Ongoing Operations: Gatton's group usually has somebody who is constantly on the lookout for new places to make "Preserves." and there is generally someone who takes it upon himself to spoof or bribe the local law enforcement.
Alliances: Naturally, There is a bit of reciprocity with the Hellfire Club and there are a few members of the Apollo Club who belong to both. Occasionally there are problems that can't be dealt with via rapidly delivered, copper jacketed, death. Such problems get handled or passed up the line to the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club.
Enemies: The Apollo Club is fairly small. They don't make much of blip on most people's radar and as such have not really made any high-level enemies. Safari Jack Talon and Whitley Styles have run into them on more than one occasion. But neither group were satisfied by the outcomes of those contretemps. It is rumored that Gatton was once a protégé of Talon's when he was a teen. but no one knows for sure if it is the truth. Members have seen what happens to those who bring this up. Gatton says nothing on the subject.
While the group has no large-scale enemies, there will always be a few people who want to find out what happened to a loved one of theirs. Folks who aren't careful about their investigating find out the horrid truth about the Apollo Club first hand. For this reason, the Apollo Club usually purchases the services of some criminal middle-man or other to act as a cut-out and to vet the proposed "Players". The gaff usually works like this. The middle-man casts about for criminals, mercenaries, and in some cases, homeless people or indigenous tribesman and offers them an opportunity to participate in the game. They are usually offered money. many times it's as simple as, "If you can make it to the other side of the forest, you get to keep the money and your life." Nobody ever wins of course.
While the group has no large-scale enemies, there will always be a few people who want to find out what happened to a loved one of theirs. Folks who aren't careful about their investigating find out the horrid truth about the Apollo Club first hand. For this reason, the Apollo Club usually purchases the services of some criminal middle-man or other to act as a cut-out and to vet the proposed "Players". The gaff usually works like this. The middle-man casts about for criminals, mercenaries, and in some cases, homeless people or indigenous tribesman and offers them an opportunity to participate in the game. They are usually offered money. many times it's as simple as, "If you can make it to the other side of the forest, you get to keep the money and your life." Nobody ever wins of course.
The Inspired: The membership of the Apollo Club is certainly not limited to Inspired lowlifes. It should be noted however that almost all of the club members are rich, educated, and have experience hunting by some method or other. Almost all of them are combat capable. and should the players attempt to overawe them with force majeure, they will find that the resistance will be stiff, organized, serious and desperate. There are no Mooks in the Apollo Club. Even the mercenaries they hire are blooded veterans and completely amoral.
The Future: Either Talon or somebody working for him finally managed to pull down the whole mess causing most of the members to scurry for cover. Whether Gatton or Cerrenzi meet their just deserts is up to you.
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